TIM RYUGO/Special to the Acorn NPHS PRODUCTION- Conrad Birdie, portrayed by Jeremy Hanna, is surrounded by his fans from Sweet Apple, Ohio, from left, Emma Rogers, Rosalie Cabison, Ashley Medina, Jessica Williams and Jaqueline Rosenthal, who plays the part of Kim MacAfee in Newbury Park High's production of "Bye Bye Birdie." With a rip-roaring staging of the hit musical "Bye Bye Birdie," Newbury Park High School's Panther Players Drama Club is closing its season with another winner. As Broadway's musical homage to Elvis Presley, "Birdie" was the last hit of the 1959-60 Broadway season, and fittingly brought the '50s to a close.

The plot is inspired by the reallife drafting of Elvis Presley into the Army in 1958 and its effect on the teenage population that made up his fan base.

The story concerns a publicity stunt hatched by struggling songwriter/manager Albert Peterson. He arranges for pop idol draftee Conrad Birdie to sing one of Peterson's songs on "The Ed Sullivan Show" as a farewell to his fans, after which Birdie would plant a kiss on a randomly selected teenager (the winsome Kim MacAfee of Sweet Apple, Ohio).

The upbeat score, with lyrics by Lee Adams and music by Charles Strouse, is chock-full of superb songs, including "A Lot of Livin' to Do," "Put on a Happy Face" and "Kids."

As Sweet Apple readies itself for Birdie's arrival, the town's teenagers engage in the brilliantly staged gossip fest "The Telephone Hour" (marathon phone calls 50 years ago were the equivalent of today's obsession with texting).

Erik Groth is long, lean and likable as Albert, with a little bit of Jim Carrey thrown in. His best moment is on "Baby, Talk to Me," a great song that didn't make it into the 1963 movie version.

Albert is no match for the two women in his life: his notquite fiancee Rosie (Chelsea Glasner) and his manipulative, caustic mother, Mae (Beki DeCuir).

Glasner, who has one of the strongest voices in the cast, is a subdued Rosie, and she retains her prim and proper demeanor until forced by Mae to reveal her fiery Latin side in the slam-bang number "Spanish Rose." Glasner is a delight.

DeCuir, with her fur stole and snide asides, almost steals the show with her mother-from-hell domination of Albert. Although director Michael Ollins is understandably faithful to the original show, it would have been great to hear DeCuir perform the hilarious "A Mother Doesn't Matter Anymore," which was added to the 1995 television version.

Jacqueline Rosenthal is wonderful as Kim MacAfee, the freshfaced teen randomly chosen to be the recipient of the Birdie smooch. Rosenthal effortlessly manages to change clothes on stage while not missing a note of her solo, the cheery "How Lovely to Be a Woman."

Panther favorite Ryan Spindel, who did a great job as Baby John in "West Side Story" two years ago, returns to play Harry MacAfee, Kim's worldweary dad and the only resident of Sweet Apple not swooning over hipster Birdie.

Spindel eschews the prissy Harry made famous by Paul Lynde in favor of a grumpier portrayal closer to Archie Bunker. Albert softens him up by offering him a spot on "The Ed Sullivan Show" ("Hymn for a Sunday Evening").

Jeremy Hanna plays Conrad Birdie as if he chose to emulate the wrong end of Elvis's career. Hanna looks like a paunchy version of The Fonz from "Happy Days," but watch his brilliant stage business in his opening 10 minutes, during which he doesn't utter a word. He has all his moves and poses down pat and they are wickedly funny. He's also great on Birdie's rockin' solo "Honestly Sincere."

"Bye Bye Birdie" plays one more weekend at Newbury Park High School, which will give audiences a chance to see the cast's alternate Kim and Rosie—Alana Grossman and Ella Bowen.

For information, call Michael Ollins at (805) 498-3676, ext. 1602